Count me in. Thanks for having fronted the funds from the start, and for doing all the tech work to keep things running smoothly.
The forum domain name (argentinaexpats.org) has just been renewed for another 12 months and the hosting plan with GoDaddy has been renewed until June 2021.
The cost is US$100, so if members feel like contributing, please use the PayPalMe link on the front page.
Many thanks for your continued support.
Will the Ads make much difference to the economics of running the forum?
It has been my experience that most people don't whitelist sites they like. According to metrics, 80% of users are blocking sites' ads. That is a huge amount of lost potential revenue. I work for Dave's Computer Tips and Dave has been paying out of pocket to keep the site going for nearly 20 years now.
The solution is basically this: if you like a site, then whitelist that site in your Adblocker to help keep those sites available for free to the user.
Nobody likes ads, but not all ads are intrusive. Many are simple banner ads or side panel ads that don't flash and annoy. After a while, you won't even see them -- it's called being banner blind. And you don't have to click on them for the site to gain a bit of revenue. They only have to be visible on your screen.
The only recourse in many cases is for the SysAdmins to put up a paywall to cover the costs and this only serves to punish the 20% who are whitelisting sites.
Do it now. While you're thinking about it.
Display MoreIt has been my experience that most people don't whitelist sites they like. According to metrics, 80% of users are blocking sites' ads. That is a huge amount of lost potential revenue. I work for Dave's Computer Tips and Dave has been paying out of pocket to keep the site going for nearly 20 years now.
The solution is basically this: if you like a site, then whitelist that site in your Adblocker to help keep those sites available for free to the user.
Nobody likes ads, but not all ads are intrusive. Many are simple banner ads or side panel ads that don't flash and annoy. After a while, you won't even see them -- it's called being banner blind. And you don't have to click on them for the site to gain a bit of revenue. They only have to be visible on your screen.
The only recourse in many cases is for the SysAdmins to put up a paywall to cover the costs and this only serves to punish the 20% who are whitelisting sites.
Do it now. While you're thinking about it.
Interesting opinion RP. I frequent a US based pipe smoking forum which has Ads. Despite not being able to avail myself of the products advertised I don't mind them. Difference is with that site the Ads are all pipe smoking related and you don't have to click out of them because they block your view.
I suppose it all boils down to the quality of the forum and how important the content is to the individual viewer to the actions one takes.
Will the Ads make much difference to the economics of running the forum?
It's not much revenue yet, but as I've said before, we need to look at it over the course of several months.
I use my cell phone 99% of the time, and the ads ARE problematic in the mobile format, since there is usually an unremovable ad parked right on top of the most recent post. When an ad prevents my reading a post, naturally I lose interest in the thread, and in any case can’t respond.
After a few more months, if the ads are still saving us only $3-4 per month, I’d be glad to pay the $40-50/year that the ads save us.
A paywall would be counterproductive for this particular forum, since we’re trying to build membership rather than restrict it.
I use my cell phone 99% of the time, and the ads ARE problematic in the mobile format, since there is usually an unremovable ad parked right on top of the most recent post. When an ad prevents my reading a post, naturally I lose interest in the thread, and in any case can’t respond.
After a few more months, if the ads are still saving us only $3-4 per month, I’d be glad to pay the $40-50/year that the ads save us.
A paywall would be counterproductive for this particular forum, since we’re trying to build membership rather than restrict it.
You can use Chrome or Firefox with an adblocker on iOS/Apple iPhones you know. We won't be offended.
You can use Chrome or Firefox with an adblocker on iOS/Apple iPhones you know. We won't be offended.
Or install the Brave browser and it will block all ads. I will still support the forum, regardless of ads. The only way I see ads, is
when I use the Edge browser. Thanks for the forum upkeep, it can probably be a headache. Do you have a dedicated machine
for the forum? If so, I guess it runs 24/7!!!
Splinter , case in point: the ad allows me to read my own quote at the start of your post, but not a word of your post!
I don’t mean to dwell on this, as I realize I’m probably the only member who accessed the forum via mobile phone. But anyway, here’s a screenshot.
That can easily be solved by changing browser, unless Safari allows ad blockers.
Sorry, that one is covered too.
I’m guessing your advice is to switch browsers, but I prefer to stick to only Safari with the iPhone. So I’ll continue to miss a bunch of posts, but I’ll live!
Splinter. Thanks, the link page donation opens. Will be chipping in. Read some back threads, fyi this forum, though small, is great. Hope you don't have to resort to advertising. Or a paywall. One reason I no longer read the Independent UK. Can't read the article without ads, ads, ads. Yeah, I know, ad blockers, different browser. My little villages newspaper on the coast of Oregon is behind a paywall! Was a nice little village of the working class until corporate money built a world class golf course next to it. Now a starter home cost US$500,000.00. That's not a miss print. One half of a million US dollars. Sorry for the rant. But WTF 
